It is not solid wood that can become a flute, but the empty reed.
The voice therefore naturally expresses the attitude of mind whether true or false, sincere or insincere.
The object attained by both good and bad methods is the same, but the way one tries to attain it turns the object into right or wrong. It is not the object which is wrong, it is the way one adopts to attain it.
Life is revealing. It is not only human beings who speak; if only the ears can hear even plants and trees and all nature speak, in the sense that nature reveals itself, reveals its secret. In this way we communicate with the whole of life. Then we are never alone, then life becomes worth living.
At each step from the inner being to the surface there is an apparent improvement, which appears to be more positive; yet every step towards the surface entails limitation and dependence.
Each note, each scale, and each strain expires at the appointed time; and at the end of the soul’s experience here the finale comes; but the impression remains, as a concert in a dream, before the radiant vision of the consciousness.
Every sacred scripture, holy picture or spoken word, produces the impression of its identity upon the mirror of the soul; but music stands before the soul without producing any impression of this objective world, in either name or form, thus preparing the soul to realize the Infinite.
This is the picture of the spirit world. It is the world of the optimist. The pessimist has no share in its great glory, because he refuses to accept the possibility which is the nature of life. Thus he denies to himself all he desires, and even the possibility of achieving his desires.
He who is of lower evolution cannot love a higher object. But a person of higher evolution can love the lower as well as the higher. He who once loves cannot hate. The one who hates is he who cannot appreciate.
All labor and toil, however hard and difficult, is made easy by the power of rhythm in some way or other. This idea opens to the thinker a means for a still deeper study of life.
And yet the most valuable things are attained with the least effort. But one does not realize their importance. One would rather have something which is attained with a great effort.
It is more important to find out the truth about oneself than to find out the truth about heaven and hell, or about many other things which are of less importance and are apart from oneself. However, every man’s pursuit is according to his state of evolution, and so each soul is in pursuit of something – but he does not know where it leads him.
Wisdom is like the horizon: the nearer you approach it, the further it recedes.
Ist die Seele auf Gott gestimmt, so wird jedes Tun zu Musik.
Our ego is the lion of lions, and if this is conquered, then these external lions – the different egos around us – are conquered also, and wherever we go, with anyone, whether foolish or wise, good or bad, we now have peace.
One need not fall in love; one must rise through love.
Out of the shell of the broken heart emerges the newborn soul.
One who has learned friendship has learned religion; the one who has learned friendship has attained spiritual knowledge. The one who has leaned friendship need learn very little else; morals in Persian is friendship.
As fruit ripens in the course of nature, so it is in the course of nature that the soul should mature; and it is no use being disappointed or disheartened.
If one wants to torture oneself for the sake of torture one may do so, but not for spiritual perfection.
When the soul is attuned to God, every action becomes music.